The Labor enquirer., 1887-12-17
REDlA0T LONDON
Full and Reliable Rsport Of the
Trafalgar Squsss Police
Outrage.
Horse, Rtst snd Dragon. Charge .
xsstlss e - Kindred Thou.
ssn1 WsFlanenen.
yaI,or fAbor E.dasFsr.


Fl ranor Labor Endosrer.
LONDON. Nov.a6. Many impor-
tant events have teken Nice here
since my last lette. Bhe policy
Of coercion whichtle fSty govern
ment has carried On Ia Ireland
has now been introduced into the
metropolis For tte last two Sum
days a part of London has. been
practically in state of siege.
In my last letter ] spoke Of the
meeting and parades of the unem-
ployed. After being dispersed in
HYDE Park they we're again al
lowed to meet in Trafalgar. On
some days however these meet
ings we're dispersed. Out of a
total Of twenty-one daily meet
ings held in the square sixteen
we're allowed and five dispersed.
On November 3, the day preced-
ing the lord mayors show, Sir
Charles Warren the military CON-
missioner of the metropolitan
police, issued proclamation pro-
hibiting all meetings in Trafalgar
square until further notice" "
Trafalgar square has been for
thirty years or more recognized
meeting place for the metropolis.
Thousands of people can gather
there without hindrance to traffic,
especially on Sunday. Moreover.
open air meetings are the only
way by which English citizens can
make their voices heard, for most
Of the large halls and all the the
atres are closed against political
meetings of democratic. charac-
ter. Previous to this latter declar-
alton by Sir Charles Warren the
Metropolitan Radical Federation
had resolved to hold a mass meet
ing in Trafalgar square on Sunday
November I3 to protest against
the Imprisonment Of William
OBrien, M. p, under the Irish
crimes act. A -deputation from
the federation therefore waited on
the home secretary with reference
tothe meeting, but the right-hon-
orable gentleman refused to see
any OF the deputation save Mr..
Cunninghame-Graham, M. p, to
whom he stated that it was the in
tention of her majesty's govern
ment that "the meeting should not
be allowed" In spite of this
the Metropolitan Radical Fedora
ton resolved to adhere to their
original decision to hold the meet
ing in Trafalgar square, as they
rightly considered the'prohibition
Iof Sir Charles Warren to be tyran-
'hical and despotic in the extreme.
On learning this the Social Demo-
cratic Federation resolved to offer
,the radicals their support on the
grounds that the right of free
speech and free public meeting
was in danger. This offer was
cordially accepted. On Saturday
afternoon Sir Charles issued an
other proclamation. The COM
missioner of metropolitan police
Is very fond of issuing proclama-
tons. Scarcely a week passes
now but passers-by can see on all
the boardings and bill-posting
places the big black type of 81
Charles Warren" This last pro-
eamation was to the effect that
no procession would be.allowed to
approach Trafalgar square on
The following day. This prohibi-
uon was, if anything, more out
.aSeous than the previous one.
Tue right Of procession through
tue streets so long as the people
N'P' on the move has never been
Questioned.
10 secure the carrying out of
T''se ~ arbitrary proclamations
Trafalgar square was guarded by
ponce and military as follows:
400 police on foot; 200 horse
e0''Ce' 800 grenadier guards with
"f'u oayonets and twenty rounds
u' ball cartr;dees. ,rd ,oo l;fe